Youth and Young Adult Ministries is a clear reflection of Christ’s presence and leadership in the Advent movement. For decades, that presence has been visible and celebrated across the Greater New York Conference (GNYC).
On Sabbath, Jan. 31, during its annual Youth Congress, the GNYC Youth and Young Adult Ministries department formally recognized a transition in leadership with the installation of Pastor Christian Genao as Youth Ministries director. Genao was recently elected to serve following the call of former director Pastor Enmanuel Contreras to the Atlantic Union Conference, where he now serves as vice president of Youth and Young Adult Ministries.
Delegates to the 57th regular constituency session in October 2022 voted Contreras to serve as GNYC Youth Ministries director. At the 2026 Youth Congress, organizers and attendees celebrated Contreras’ faithful years of leadership and participated in a solemn changing-of-the-guard service between the two leaders.
Reflecting on his tenure, Contreras said, “During these unforgettable years serving in the youth department of the Greater New York Conference, I watched a generation rise—not by accident, but by intention.”
Each year of his term, Contreras centered ministry around a faith-building theme that shaped the annual Youth Congress. In 2023, “I Believed” reminded attendees that faith is the starting line of every movement. “Before plans, budgets, events, and programs, there had to be belief—belief in God, belief in young people, and belief that youth ministry is not maintenance, but mission,” he said.
The following year’s theme, “Unstoppable,” highlighted the growth and resilience of young leaders. “We saw young people push past limitations—cultural, personal, spiritual, and emotional,” Contreras reflected. “They learned that obstacles are often invitations to grow.” He added, “Their energy, creativity, and resilience proved that when youth are trusted, equipped, and empowered, nothing can restrain what God is doing through them.”
In 2025, the theme “Fearless” marked a significant shift for the department. “Youth and young adults began stepping into leadership roles with courage,” Contreras explained. “They prayed publicly, served boldly, created passionately, and led with authenticity. Fear gave way to ownership. Ministry was no longer something done for them—it was something done by them.”
Contreras began his new role at the Atlantic Union Conference on Jan. 1, 2026. Before his departure, he was already preparing for 2026 under the theme “Be Intentional.” “[This theme] brings clarity to everything we learned,” he said. “[Being] intentional in purpose, intentional in service, and intentional in faith. Our mission was never only to host events, but to develop leaders with purpose, passion, and vision—young men and women who understand their calling and are ready to live it.”
Each year of Contreras’ leadership in Greater New York carried a theme that, in many ways, mirrored his own journey alongside the youth and young adults of the territory.
“These years taught me that youth ministry is not about filling calendars, but about shaping lives,” he said. “And in watching this generation grow, I realized: When we invest intentionally in young people, we are investing in the future of the Church.”
A new chapter of Youth and Young Adult Ministries has begun, yet the commitment to supporting GNYC youth and young adults remains steadfast. The Greater New York Conference family welcomes Pastor Genao to his new assignment. May God continue to bless Pastor Contreras and his family as they embrace this new responsibility at the Atlantic Union Conference.
In the words of Alanzo Smith, GNYC president: “There is an address for greatness—and that address is the Greater New York Conference.”
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Communication department, Greater New York Conference
Photo: Enmanuel Contreras, front right, Atlantic Union Conference vice president of Youth and Young Adult Ministries and former GNYC Youth Ministries director, prepares to pass the Pathfinder flag to Christian Genao, newly elected GNYC Youth Ministries director, as GNYC administrators Alanzo Smith, rear left, president, and Ariel Manzueta, executive secretary, center, observe the symbolic ceremony.
[Photographer: John Jean Baptiste]
